New research from The Flex Report shows that the tech industry is the most flexible in terms of work models. The data show 79% of tech companies offer fully flexible work models, but large tech firms could be putting an end to that.
Companies including Apple and Meta have transitioned to structured hybrid policies that require workers to be in the office at least two to three days per week. Several other large tech companies including Dell and Amazon have issued stricter return-to-office mandates.
While fully remote models are still prevalent across the sector, they have decreased significantly in popularity over the past year in favor of giving employees a choice of whether to be hybrid or remain remote. The data shows that in June 2023, 37% of tech companies were fully remote, with no offices at all, but that number has since dropped to 23% by June 2024 as several firms said they recognize a need for office spaces for collaboration.
The trend is even more pronounced among larger tech firms, with 74% of companies with over 25,000 employees now offering structured hybrid models.
As the tech sector continues to focus on in-person collaboration, many smaller and medium-sized companies are expected to further refine their work models. One survey found IT companies are gravitating towards coworking spaces because of the cost-benefits and sense of community they often provide for their teams.
The Flex Index reports that smaller companies are more likely to retain fully remote work environments, with 42% of firms with less than 100 employees still fully remote.
In comparison, none of the tech giants with over 10,000 employees maintain a fully remote model — further emphasizing the industry’s gradual direction towards hybrid work dominance.
